The first major of the tennis season will get underway this coming Monday, January 15, with the best players in the world descending upon Melbourne for the Australian Open. On the men’s side of the tournament, it will be the usual cast of characters chasing the title, minus Andy Murray, who is going to be out for a while after undergoing knee surgery. On the women’s side, the field is wide open since there will be no Serena Williams in the court, usually the Australian Open betting lines favorite. She is making her way back to the tour after giving birth to a child but is not quite ready to play in a tournament of this magnitude.
Let’s take a closer look at the favorites to win on the men’s and women’s side.
2018 Australian Open Betting Preview & Expert Pick
“The last eight years have just been…the best.”
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— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) 12 de enero de 2018
Tournament Info
- Founded: 1905
- Editions: 105
- Location: Melbourne, Australia
- Venue: Melbourne Park
- Surface: Hard – outdoors
- Prize money: A$55,000,000 (2018)
Men’s Top Contenders
Roger Federer
- 2018 Australian Open Betting Odds: +160
The seemingly ageless Federer will be out to defend the crown that he won last year, and it’s tough to imagine that he will not make another deep run in this tournament. At an age when most players are contemplating retirement, the Swiss ace continues to play some of the best tennis of his career.
Rafael Nadal
- 2018 Australian Open Betting Odds: +330
Nadal has had a career that has been hampered by injury, which is perhaps why he has not won the number of titles that we expected when he first broke into the tour. Nadal does seem to enjoy playing Down Under, though, and made it all the way to the final last year before eventually falling to Federer. Expect another deep run this time around.
Novak Djokovic
- 2018 Australian Open Betting Odds: +375
The big-hitting Serbian is another player that should be playing a role in the second week of the tournament, although we are not going to get to see a rematch between him and Andy Murray, which is always one of the highlights of any tournament. I think Djokovic may be the one to beat in this tournament.
But if you are looking for a hometown favorite to cheer for in Australia, you might do okay by putting some money on Nick Krygios at odds of +1800. He won the Brisbane International tournament last weekend and is sure to be a bit of a high.
Last 10 Champions
- 2017: Roger Federer
- 2016: Novak Djokovic
- 2015: Novak Djokovic
- 2014: Stanislas Wawrinka
- 2013: Novak Djokovic
- 2012: Novak Djokovic
- 2011: Novak Djokovic
- 2010: Roger Federer
- 2009: Rafael Nadal
- 2008: Novak Djokovic
Women’s Top Contenders
Garbiñe Muguruza
- 2018 Australian Open Betting Odds: +500
You need only look at the betting odds in the women’s tournament to get an idea of just how wide open things are when Serena Williams does not take part.
Muguruza has some experience in major tournaments and is the current Wimbledon champion, which is one of the reasons why she is among the favorites to be the queen at the Australian Open.
Karolina Pliskova
- 2018 Australian Open Betting Odds: +500
The #4 ranked female tennis player in the world, Pliskova comes into this one after getting to the semi-final in the Brisbane International, which serves as a solid warm-up tournament for this one.
Maria Sharapova
- 2018 Australian Open Betting Odds: +750
Back after serving a suspension for using PED’s, Sharapova is slowly starting to work her way back into contention. She has a win and a semi-final appearance in her last 3 tournaments and needs to be considered a serious threat to make a deep run here.
If you are looking for an Australian to root for on the women’s side, we suggest taking a look at Ashleigh Barty. She had a magnificent season last year, climbing all the way up to #17 in the women’s rankings. She can be had at odds of +2300.
Last 10 Winners
- 2017: Serena Williams
- 2016: Angelique Kerber
- 2015: Serena Williams
- 2014: Li Na
- 2013: Victoria Azarenka
- 2012: Victoria Azarenka
- 2011: Kim Clijsters
- 2010: Serena Williams
- 2009: Serena Williams
- 2008: Maria Sharapova
